Rick Boucher: television transitn and public safety act of 2005 to remain available until e through fiscal year 2012, and for oth the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from virginia, mr. boucher, and the gentleman from louisiana, mr. cao, each will control 20 minutes.

Rick Boucher: the chair recognizes the gentleman from virginia. mr. boucher: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. boucher: and, mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. boucher: mr. speaker, before the house today is senate 1694, a measure to enable funding for the

Rick Boucher: interoperable emergency communications grant program to remain available through fiscal year 2012. in the absence of this measure, the funds for the program could not be expended by the recipients of grants under the program after the end of this year. the bill before the house has been approved in the other

Rick Boucher: body, and it is identical house bills previously introduced by the gentl from california, ms. harman, and by the gentleman from louisiana, mr. cao. the bill extends the public safety interoperable communications grant program that is jointly administered by the u.s. department of commerce

Rick Boucher: through the national telecommunications and information administration and by the u.s. department of homeland security. the funds, which are awarded as grants to first responders under the program, derive from proceeds from the auction by e federal communications

Rick Boucher: commission of the 700 megahertz spectrum as they ceased their analogue broadcast in association with the digital television transition. the program had its genesis and recommendations by the 9/11 commission concerning the well-acknowledged shortcomings in interoperable communications capabilities among first

Rick Boucher: responders nationwide. as required by law, the department of commerce is conducted an annual assessment of that department's management of this grant program. it found that the ntia w the department of commerce had not the statutory guidelines

Rick Boucher: and requirements for making rewards and for reviewing and communications plans. but the office of inspector general also found that the congressional deadline, which exists in current law, had not allowed the states a sufficient amount of time within which by

Rick Boucher: the end of this year to expend the grant funds that they receive under this program. and that inability of states to expend all of these moneys by the end of this year is what necessary tates the passage of the measure -- necessitates the passage of the measure that is before us today.

Rick Boucher: ms. harman's bilpassed out of our house energy and commerce committee on the 8th of october and was passed by the full committee on october 18. it's been endorsed, among others, the national governors association, the major cities chiefs association, the association of public safety, communicates officials,

Rick Boucher: international, the telecommunications industry association, the national association, and mayors of the cities of new york, houston and los anges. . we are taking up measure today so that upon approval in the house it can go

Rick Boucher: directly to the prs for -- president for signature without further delay. i want to say thank you this morning to the gentleman from florida, mr. stearns, who is ranking republican member of the subcommittee on communications technology and the internet and also the gentleman from texas, mr. barton, who is the ranking member on our full committee for